Technicolor Selects ViXS SoC for 60p HEVC Ultra HD 4K Set-Top Boxes

ViXS XCode 6400, the World's Only Shipping 10-Bit HEVC 60p SoC, to Power Technicolor's STB Family for Global Cable and Satellite Service Providers

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 30, 2014) - ViXS Systems Inc. (TSX: VXS), a pioneer and leader in media processing solutions, today announced that Technicolor, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector, has chosen the ViXS XCode 6400 System on Chip (SoC) for their new Ultra High Definition (UHD) 4K set-top box (STB) product line. Technicolor is an innovator in STBs with the second highest volume of STB shipments worldwide. The Technicolor STBs offer front-ends for cable, satellite and telco internet protocol television (IPTV) operators, and supports High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) MAIN10 Profile up to 60 frames per second for service operators looking to launch UHD 4K content services. The new UHD 4K Technicolor STB is the industry's first high frame rate 4K STB, and is targeted for cable and satellite services operators globally. ViXS expects such UHD 4K STBs to begin shipping within the year. Technicolor is showcasing this innovative family of STBs, using the XCode 6400 SoC, at Booth #513 the 2014 Cable Show in the Los Angeles Convention Center, open from April 29th to May 1st, 2014.

The volume deployment of Ultra HD 4K channels continues to build as 4K television prices drop rapidly and an ever-growing lineup of UHD 4K content is announced. Technicolor is helping drive the industry by launching STBs that support UHD 4K content services while also being able to take advantage of the significant bandwidth savings of HEVC. The XCode 6400 SoC is the only SoC commercially shipping now that natively supports UHD and 10-bit HEVC, enabling Technicolor to achieve fast time-to-market for these next-generation technologies within their STBs. With ViXS' XCode 6400 family powering broadcast distribution equipment and STBs, content owners and service providers can now deliver unprecedented video clarity and color to consumers worldwide for breath-taking UHD 4K content.

An active contributor to the HEVC Standard, ViXS Systems was instrumental in driving and supplying reference code for the MAIN10 profile during the development of the HEVC technical specifications. MAIN10 profile content is becoming the standard throughout the broadcast and media industry with key advantages in higher color bit depth allowing for smoother color transitions in video, resolving color-banding, increasing end users perceivable video quality and bringing more than 1 billion colors to life.

"Technicolor has a long history of technology leadership in the service provider equipment market, and we are elated they chose ViXS as their SoC provider for the new Ultra HD set-top boxes," said Sally Daub, President and CEO, ViXS Systems Inc. "Our leadership position is the result of the technical expertise, extraordinary vision and dedication shown by the ViXS team, and we look forward to the XCode 6400 shipping in volume in Technicolor's STB family."

Key Features of Technicolor's Family of UHD 4K STB's:

Decode and display UHD 4K HEVC 60 fps 10-bit broadcast content

Support for global cable and satellite front-ends

Broad range of SKU's from full headed gateway to low end IP clients

Support for Multi-Screen and Multi-room options

About ViXS Systems Inc.

ViXS is the pioneer and market leader in designing revolutionary media processing semiconductor solutions for the broadcasting and consumer electronics industries, with over 461 patents issued and pending worldwide, numerous industry awards for innovation, and over 30 million media processor shipments to date. ViXS is driving the transition to Ultra HD 4K across the entire content value chain by providing professional and consumer grade chipsets that support the new High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard up to Main 10 Profile, reducing bandwidth consumption by 50% while providing the depth of color and image clarity needed to take advantage of higher-resolution content. ViXS' XCodePro 300 family is ideal for Ultra HD 4K infrastructure equipment, and the XCode 6000 family of system-on-chip (SoC) products achieve unprecedented levels of integration that enable manufacturers to create cost-effective consumer entertainment devices.

ViXS is headquartered in Toronto, Canada with offices in Europe, Asia and North America. VIXS™, the ViXS® logo, XCode®, XCodePro™, XConnex™ and Xtensiv™ are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ViXS. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information on ViXS, visit our website: www.vixs.com.

DISCLAIMER IN REGARDS TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSCertain statements included herein, including those that express management's expectations or estimates of our future performance constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Investors and readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward looking statements. Except as required by law, the Corporation does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect, in particular, new information or future events.